The state of Texas has fallen under controversy after passing a law making an abortion illegal past the six-week mark of pregnancy. Thought that law is getting the coverage, 665 other laws went into effect, one of which requires professional sports teams located in the state who have received any public funds to play the United States National Anthem prior to games.
Dallas Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban notably decided to not play the anthem prior to games due to the controversy it was swirling up between players kneeling and standing, of course stemming from Colin Kaepernick’s now infamous decision to kneel during the anthem back in 2016 when he was quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers.
The bill was prioritized by Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick following Cuban’s decision to stop playing the anthem back in February of this year. Patrick called Cuban’s move “a slap in the face to every American & an embarrassment to Texas.”
The law has been dubbed the ‘Star Spangled Banner Protection Act’, and will be punishable by forcing franchises to pay back any received government funds, which for any team would be in the millions.
Leave it to the United States to legally enforce some of its citizens play a song before one of their events, a song written about freedom.
